To Save a Life is not an Option :: Essays Papers

To Save a Life is not an OptionAs America has progressed through the years, its citizens have grown much and more conscientious about their health and safety, and through science and technology have designed many things to be safer and increase health for shrimpy money. Laws have been passed so that health may be maintained and in many cases it is cheaper to live a healthy lifestyle rather than an sallow one. Cig arttes put deep holes in pockets, and fines keep people from not draining their seatbelt, yet despite the low cost of many safety advances do for automobiles, consumers are still forced to pay more for safety features in cars. With the low cost of manufacturing and installing safety features much(prenominal) as anti-lock halt and office airbags, safety features should no longer be an selection on automobiles, but standards. Over 9,000 deaths are caused by locating impact passenger vehicle accidents in America every year. (IIHS) Crash tests conducted by the n ominate have shown great potential for side airbags, especially for protection in littler vehicles being hit from the side by bigger vehicles such as SUVs which are becoming very popular these days. Side airbags that take on orient protection are reducing deaths by about 45 percent among drivers of passenger cars struck on the near (driver) side, claims the Insurance land for Highway Safety. The effectiveness of head protecting side airbags is a 53% reduction in risk of two-vehicle accidents and an estimated 74% reduction when a smaller vehicle is struck in the side by a larger vehicle. Without side airbags, the is no protection for a passengers head from protruding objects such as trees, poles or other vehicles causing remote more deaths or permanent injury than if the head were protected. (IIHS) Side airbags are available on 40 percent of 2003 model passenger vehicles, 16 percent on which they are optional. (IIHS) The option of side airbags for different manufacturers v aries in cost for Chevrolet it is a $400 option, for Ford it is a $300 option and for Honda it is a $250 option. Using the Chevrolet Malibu as an example as a side airbag optional vehicle, side crash tests show much better results for the Malibu with side airbags. On a scale of 1-4, 4 being the best, in a side collision test, the Malibu with side airbags received a 3 trance the Malibu without side airbags received a 1.